The son of "Barney and Friends" creator Sheryl Leach was arrested for attempted murder in Malibu last month. (Photo: PBS Kids)

Patrick Leach, son of "Barney And Friends" creator Sheryl Leach, was charged with attempted murder yesterday relating to the shooting of his 49-year-old neighbor. The Barney creator's son lives in Malibu and allegedly fled the scene after the shooting was reported by neighbors who overheard a heated argument before gunshots were fired.

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"I think it was just a brewing dispute thing that got out of hand," one neighbor told The Malibu Times. "I don't want to say too much more because, well, he did shoot someone. It's unusual. This is Malibu, but you never know. You do read about mass shootings these days."

The Barney creator's son reportedly got into an argument with his neighbor, Eric Shanks, over what authorities described as a "trespassing issue" on Jan. 9 and fled the scene in a black SUV. He was apprehended shortly after the incident, and evidence was later seized from the vehicle owned by the Barney creator's son, who was released from the Lost Hills Station later in the day on $1 million bail. Lt. Matthew Squire of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff 's Station said the Barney creator's son was arrested without incident, but after posting bail, authorities no longer had any interest in his whereabouts.

"Look, he comes from big money, so he was able to post that kind of bail the same day he was arrested," Squire told The Malibu Times. "But once he leaves the station, it's out of our hands."

Leach's mother is worth an estimated $350 million. She was one of the first residents in the Malibu neighborhood where the shooting took place, living there for nearly 40 years before moving to Greenwich, Conn.

The Barney creator's son will go to court next month to determine if there is enough evidence to put him on trial for attempted murder. He pleaded not guilty before posting bail, and also faces one charge of assault with a semi-automatic firearm.